Trunk-hinge fixture.



G. H. WHEARY.

TRUNK HINGE FIXTURE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1915.

M: \m W WL m HN %WJ M E U m T ,m .W P A m0 5 5 A Md w l I M i/w GEORGE HENRY WHEARY, OF BACINE, WISCONSIN.

TRUNK-HINGE FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May a, 1915.

Application filed February 11, 1915. Serial No. 7,608.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY WHEARY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Hinge Fixtures, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in trunk hinge fixtures more particularly adapted for use with wardrobe trunks.

Many trunks of the wardrobe type of the better class now on the market rest upon one end and are divided vertically, medially into two hinged together sections, the upper end of one of said sections being open at its upper end and is provided with a hinged top cover. The trunk sections and top have heretofore been connected together by separate hinges and locking trimmings. Asthus secured the connections in many ways lack the strength and rigidity desired in the manufacture of trunks.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to overcome the before mentioned objectionable features by combining the hinge and the trimmings adjacent the top and the corner joint of the sections and the cover into one fixture and thereby provide a hinge fixture which possesses greater strength and rigidity than the same parts used independently.

A further object of' the invention is to rovide a trunk hinge fixture which is adapted to bind the adjacent sections and top cover of a trunk of the before mentioned type in order to resist torsional strains or working of the parts with relation to each other, and to bind the parts when in closed position, into a rigid structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk hinge fixture which is so constructed as to automatically lock the top cover and the side sections together when said parts are swung to closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk hinge fixture which is of very simple. construction, is strong and durable, and may be manufactured at a minimum cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved trunk hinge fixture, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the samereference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views: Figure 1 is a side view of the improved trunk hinge fixture shown mounted on a wardrobe trunk, the trunk being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the fixture, parts broken away to show interior construction and a portion of the trunk being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 8 is a top view of the fixture shown in open position; and Fig. l is an edge view thereof.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 5 indicates a wardrobe trunk divided medially, vertically to form a body section 6 and a wardrobe section '7 which are hinged together along their rear vertical edges. The wardrobe section has an open upper end closed by a top or cover 8 which is hinged to the upper rear edge of the wardrobe section and the improved hinge fixture 9 is mounted on the top and rear side of the trunk at the junction of the two sections and the top cover. The improved fixture 9 comprises the main body portion 10, the wardrobe section member 11 and the top cover member 12 which are mounted respectively on the body section, the wardrobe section and the wardrobe top cover of said trunk. The fixture is stamped from heavy sheet metal and when assembled is of approximately elongated rectangular shape and is bent transversely medially of its length into L-shape to form the top portion 13 and the side portion 14. While the trans verse bend is of rounded form as indicated by the numeral 15, to conform to the rounded edge portion of the trunk, it is to be understood that the corners may be formed with a right angle bend if desired. The rectangular piece of material is divided medially, vertically to form the body member 10 and the other half portion is divided horizontally near its lower end portion to form the top cover member 12 and the wardrobe section member 11 before described. The inner abutting edges of the wardrobe section and the lower portion of the body section memberare provided with edgewise overlapping eyed portions 16 through which extends a hinged pintle member 17 to hingedly connect these parts together. I

The top or horizontally. extending p ortions 13 of the rectangular member have an upwardly embossed rib 18 of semicircular form in cross section, one half of the rib being formed on .each section and the ends of the half ribs on thebody section portion are provided with projecting tongues 19 which are adapted to enter the recesses 20 formed by the half rib portion of the top cover. This tongue and recess engagement while permitting the two parts to be swung to open position serves to prevent lateral 'movement of the top cover with respect to the body section of the trunk. The side portion 14 of the rectangular piece of ma- ,terial just above the hinge 16 has an out- ]wardly embossed half circular rib portion A Q21 which includes the body section, the

wardrobe section and the top cover members of the fixture. This embossed portion is also of semicircular form in cross section. The end of the half circular embossedportion adjacent the vertically extending edge of the top cover member is provided with a projecting tongue 22 which enters the recess 23 of the body member formed by the em bossed portion thereof. The end of the same embossed portion adjacent the lower Q horizontally extending edge of the top cover member 12 is also provided witha projecting tongue 24 which enters the recess 25 of embossed portion thereof. The fixture parts are secured tothe trunk parts by nails or other fastening means. All of the projecting tongues are slightly offset'at their point of junction with embossed portions of the fixtures so that the parts of the fixtures will lie flush when swung into edgewise engagement with each other. By thus combining the upper hinge with the locking trimmings of the upper portionof the trunk adjacent the hinge a much stronger fixture is provided which more securely binds the three portions of the trunk together and by thus combining the parts the fixture is less expensive to manufacture and to attach to a trunk.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the trunk hingefixture is of very simple construction andiswell adapted for the purpose described. 1

What I claim. as my invention is:

1. A trunk hinge fixture, comprising an angular body memberhaving a side portion and a top portion extending at an angle 7 with relation to the side portion a wardrobe section miember hinged to the side edge portion of the body member adjacent its lower end portion, and an angular top cover member having a tongue and engagement therewith, and an {)ecess engagement with the other two memers.

2. A trunk hinge fixture, comprising an angular body member having a side portion and a top portion extending at an angle with relation to the side portion, a wardrobe section member hinged to the side edge portion of the body member adjacent its lower end portion and adapted to have edge abutting engagement therewith, and an angular top cover member adapted to have an edgewise engagement with the inner side edge of the body member and the upper edge of the wardrobe section member, said top cover member provided on its .lower end portion with projecting tongues which enter recesses formed in the body'member and the wardrobe section member acent the hinge, and the upper portion of the :body member provided with a projectingtongue which enters a recess formed in the upper portion ofthe top cover member.

.3. A trunkhinge fixture, comprising an angular body member having a side portion and a top portion extending at an angle with relation to the side portion, a wardrobe section member hinged to theside edge portion of body member adjacent its lower end portion and adapted to have edge abutting angular top cover member adapted to have an edgewise engagement with the inner side edge of the body member and the upper edge of the wardrobe section member, the. adjacent portions of the three members having a half circular rib embossed outwardly therefrom and the portion of the rib formed on the top cover member provided with offset projectingtongues which enter recesses formed by the embossed portions of the other two members, the adjacent upper portions ofthe body member and the top cover member having a circular rib, embossed outwardly therefrom and the end portions of one half of the rib formed on one of the members provided with projecting tongues which enter recesses formed by thevend portions of theother half rib portion.

4. A trunk hinge fixture, comprising an angularbody member having aside portion and a top portion extending at an angle with relation to the side portion,.a wardrobe .section member hinged to the sideedge pora semicircular rib embossed outwardly upper portions of the body member and the top cover member having portions of a cirin presence of tWo Witnesses.

cular rib embossed outwardly therefrom, the adjacent end portions of which have a 5 tongue and recess engagement With each other.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Witnesses:

AL. A. BITTER, GEORGE BENNISH.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature I GEORGE HENRY WHEAEYV 

